Sen. Hatfield Rebuked by Ethics Panel
Sen. Mark O. Hatfield (R-Ore.) was rebuked Wednesday by the Senate Ethics Committee for failing to disclose more than $42,000 in gifts that he received between 1983 and 1988.
The committee said Hatfield violated civil law and Senate rules by not disclosing the gifts, but there was no evidence that his actions “were intentional in nature.”
In a statement, Hatfield accepted full responsibility and said: “My mistakes were many and my omissions were serious. There is no one but myself to blame. . . . I am anxious to move on.”
The gifts, which ranged from works of art to free home improvement work, were received from the senator’s associates as well as the University of South Carolina and the school’s former president, the committee said.
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